Moscow[134] (Russian: Москва) is the 869 year-old capital of Russia. An iconic, global city, Moscow has played a central role in the development of Russia and the world. For many, the sight of the Kremlin complex in the centre of the city is still loaded with symbolism and history. Moscow was the capital of the former Soviet Union and signs of its previous life are still very visible. Yet, there is more to Russia and its capital than just memories of the USSR. Architectural gems from the time of the Russian Empire are still dotted throughout Moscow, whilst signs of modern Tsars (or at least people with similar levels of wealth) abound.

Moscow is the financial and political center of Russia and the countries formerly comprising the Soviet Union. It has a population of around 13 million and an area of 2,511km², after an expansion in 2012. One-tenth of all Russian citizens live in the Moscow metropolitan area. Moscow is the second most populous city in Europe, after Istanbul. Moscow is in the UTC+3 time zone; there is no daylight saving time.

The Moskva River bends its way through the city with most of the sites of tourist interest on the northern bank of the river. The other major waterway is the Yauza River, which flows into the Moskva east of the Kremlin.

Much of Moscow's geography is defined by the 3 'Ring Roads' that circle the city at various distances from the center, roughly following the outline of the walls that used to surround Moscow. With Red Square and the Kremlin forming the very center, the innermost ring road is the Boulevard Ring (Bulvarnoye Koltso), built in the 1820s where the 16th-century walls used to be. It runs from the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in southwest central Moscow, to the mouth of the Yauza in southeast central Moscow.

The next ring road, the Garden Ring (Sadovoe Koltso), derives its name from the fact that landowners near the road in Tsarist times were obligated to maintain gardens to make the road attractive. In Soviet times, the road was widened, and there are now no gardens there.

The Third Ring Road, completed in 2004, is not much use for tourists but is a heavily used motorway which absorbs a bit of Moscow's traffic. It roughly follows the outline of Kamer-Kollezhsky val, the customs and passport boundary of Moscow between 1742 and 1852. The outer edge of Moscow is largely defined by the Moscow Ring Road (widely known by its abbreviation: MKAD-Moskovskaya koltsevaya Automobil Naya Dorota), a motorway which is 108km long and encircles the entire city (similar to London's M25 and Paris' Périphérique).

Moscow has a humid continental climate with freezing winters and warm summers, with rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year, measuring 707mm on average. Winters are cold with the average February temperature being -6.7°C (19.9°F) with low temperatures around -10°C (14°F) and highs around -4°C (24°F). Lows do occasionally reach -20°C (-4°F) and during cold waves from Siberia it can plunge to -30°C (-22°F). On the other hand, when the wind blows from the west, high temperatures may rise above freezing and they can reach 5°C (41°F), allowing rain to fall 3.5 days each winter, on average.
Although snow coverage usually forms by the beginning of November and melts by the end of March or early April, significant alternations may happen depending on the year. Freezing conditions usually continue to persist in March and sometimes last until mid-April. The last snowfall is around 15th April. In May the Russian capital is reached by the first gusts of warm weather and temperatures cease to fall below freezing. However sudden snowfalls are still possible, with the last one being on 7th May 2014 which lasted for about an hour. Summers are warm with an average July temperature 19.2°C, with highs around 25°C (77°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F). The area is affected by heat waves and this may cause high temperatures to rise above 30°C (86°F), but these periods are usually short. Nights with below 10°C (50°F) lows may also occur. Autumn is characterized by rapidly falling temperatures and the first snowfall is around 25th October.

Sheremetyevo International Airport, (IATA: SVO), +7 495 232-6565, is 32km northwest of the centre of Moscow, in the city of Khimki. There are 6 terminals: A (business charter aviation), B (closed for renovations; being merged with terminal C), C (closed for renovations; being merged with terminal B), D, E, and F. Terminals D, E, and F are south of the runway and are connected to each other by walkway. Most Aeroflot flights operate to/from Terminal D. Sheremetyevo International Airport serves approximately 33 million passengers per year.

The airport has plenty of ATMs and currency exchange offices, duty free shops, a hairdresser, a pharmacy, and several overpriced cafes and basic restaurants. Unlimited free WiFi is available. There is also a hotel on the 5th floor of the AeroExpress terminal.

If you have a layover at Sheremetyevo Airport, you may stay at the Hotel Novotel Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport even if you do not have a Russian visa. Go to the 'Transfer/Transit Without Visa' desk upon arrival. You'll be escorted to the hotel in a private bus and stay in a corridor with personal security guard. Rooms are spacious and comfortable. You'll be picked up by Aeroflot staff about one hour prior to departure and the bus will bring you directly to the departure gate. The hotel offers rates for stays during the day as well as overnight rates.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Aeroexpress is the only rail link to the airport. Trains operate between the airport and the Belorussky Railway Terminal in the northwest section of the city centre. Trains depart every 30 or 60 minutes from 5:00AM to 12:30AM. The journey takes 35 minutes and costs RUB470 one-way if you buy your ticket at the airport or RUB420 if you buy your ticket online or via mobile app. Keep your paper or mobile ticket for the entire Aeroexpress journey. From the Belorussky Railway Terminal, the journey to the city center takes an additional 20 minutes by metro.

Bus #851 (RUB50 for a 90 minute transfer ticket purchased from the driver) and Bus #949 (RUB75) operate service between the terminals and the Rechnoy Vokzal Metro Station, at the northwest terminus of Metro Line 2 (dark green). If taking the regular bus, the driver hands you a red card, which you scan in order to get past the metal turning gate. The majority of drivers don't speak any English, so don't depend on them for assistance. Once you get off the bus, continue by foot a few steps in the direction the bus was going in, and you'll see the metro station on your right in the first opening between the buildings. When returning to the airport, after leaving the Rechnoy Vokzal metro station, cross the street, go around the fence on the other side of the street and look for the bus under the orange-colored shopping center.

Bus #817 (RUB50 for a 90 minute transfer ticket purchased from the driver) or Bus #948 (RUB75) operate service between the terminals and the Planernaya Metro Station, at the northwest terminus of Metro Line 7 (purple). The journey by bus to the metro stations takes approximately 40 minutes and the journey to the city centre by metro takes an additional 40 minutes. Buses operate from approximately 5:30AM to 00:45AM.

Night Bus H1 operates every 30 minutes after the other buses have stopped. The bus operates between the airport and the Leninskiy Prospect Metro Station.

Fixed Price Official Taxis are available, with the price based on the destination neighborhood. A fixed price official taxi costs RUB1,800 to the city centre. Note that there is a toll of RUB100 for taking the highway to/from Sheremetyevo Airport.

Taxi apps are available, with the price based on the destination neighborhood. Prices on Uber are fixed at rates of RUB850-1,000, before surge pricing, depending on distance. Transfers to the other Moscow airports cost a fixed rate, before surge pricing, of RUB1,500.

Driving past the toll bar should be avoided whenever possible as there are fees to do so. In addition to entry charge of RUB100/hour (rounded up to the next hour), after entering the toll bar, there is an extra charge from RUB100/hour to RUB300/hour, depending on the distance from the entrance and the comfort of parking—with an unofficial option of an unlimited-time stay for RUB300. However, there are unofficial parking lots near the airport, with daily rates starting at RUB200.

Domodedovo International Airport, (IATA: DME), +7 495 933-6666, is 45km southeast of the centre of Moscow. It carries slightly more passengers than Sheremetyevo International Airport on an annual basis. The airport is the base of S7 Siberian Airlines. Free WiFi is available throughout the airport. There are plenty of cafes, bars, restaurants, and shops in the airport. Even if you are only changing planes in Domodedovo, a visa may be required as some flights operate a point-to-point service. Check with your airline before travelling.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Aeroexpress trains operate between the airport and the Paveletsky Railway Terminal in the southeast section of the city centre. Trains depart every 30 minutes from 6:00AM to 12:30AM. The journey takes 50 minutes and costs RUB470 one-way if you buy your ticket at the airport or RUB420 if you buy your ticket online or via mobile app. Keep your paper or mobile ticket for the entire Aeroexpress journey. From the Paveletsky Railway Terminal, the journey to the city center takes an additional 20 minutes by metro.

Buses operate around-the-clock between the airport and the Domodedovskaya Metro Station near the southeastern end of Metro Line 2 (dark green). There is plenty of space on the buses for luggage. The buses operate every 15 minutes, but every 40 minutes between midnight and 6:00AM. The trip takes 30 minutes and costs RUB120. From the Domodedovskaya Metro Station, the journey to the center takes another 40 minutes by metro . When headed towards the airport, at Domodedovskaya Metro station, take the exit to the south (downtown side) turn right in the underpass, and follow it to the end, then take the stairs. There are crude stencilled signs of Bus 308 on the pillars to guide you. When you get to street level you will see a tall building across the street with blue words reading "овехово-ворисково северное". The bus stop is next to this building.

Fixed Price Official Taxis are available, with the price based on the destination neighborhood. A fixed price official taxi costs RUB1,650 to the city centre.

Taxi apps are available, with the price based on the destination neighborhood. Prices on Uber are fixed at rates of RUB850-1,000, before surge pricing, depending on distance. Transfers to the other Moscow airports cost a fixed rate, before surge pricing, of RUB1,500.

Vnukovo International Airport, (IATA: VKO), +7 495 436-7196, is 30km southwest from the centre of Moscow. Vnukovo International Airport serves approximately 12 million passengers per year.

To travel between the airport and the city:

Aeroexpress trains operate between the airport and the Kievsky Railway Terminal in the southwest section of the city centre. Trains depart every 30 or 60 minutes from 6:00AM to midnight. The journey takes 40 minutes and costs RUB470 one-way if you buy your ticket at the airport or RUB420 if you buy your ticket online or via mobile app. Keep your paper or mobile ticket for the entire Aeroexpress journey. From the Kievsky Railway Terminal, the journey to the city center takes an additional 20 minutes by metro.

Bus #611 and #911 operates between the airport terminal and the Yugo-Zapadnaya, Troparyovo and Salaryevo Metro Stations, at the southwestern end of Metro Line 1 (Red). Working hours are from 6:00AM to 1:00AM with ~15 minutes interval. The bus journey takes 35-40 minutes and costs RUB55 paid by cash to the driver. From the metro stations, the journey to the city center takes an additional 40 minutes.

Taxi apps are available, with the price based on the destination neighborhood. Prices on Uber are fixed at rates of RUB850-1,000, before surge pricing, depending on distance. Transfers to the other Moscow airports cost a fixed rate, before surge pricing, of RUB1,500.

Moscow is the largest Russian railway hub, with nine terminals and connections to all parts of Russia and far into Europe and Asia. Due to its hub status, Moscow's train stations are always crowded, and pickpocketing is an issue, however police patrols are abundant, and violent crime is unlikely. Train travel is the predominant mode of intercity transportation for the majority of Russians.

All long-distance trains are operated by Russian Railways and its subsidiaries. Tickets can be bought either at stations or online. Some international train operators also serve Moscow. For domestic trains, you can show the ticket officer your online boarding pass; however, international trains require a printed ticket. There are often counters with English-speaking personnel at each station. Sometimes the English-speaking counters are marked, and sometimes you will be directed by the first person you speak to another counter with an English speaker.

Saint Petersburg can be reached in 4 hours via the high-speed Sapsan trains. There are seven depatures daily from both Saint Petersburg and Moscow at 06:45, 07:00, 13:30, 13:45, 15:00, 19:25, and 19:45, with some trains stopping at Tver, Vyshniy Volochek, Bologoe, and Okulovka. Fares vary and are cheaper if bought well in advance but usually are in the range of RUB3,000-6,000.

There are also 13 overnight trains that travel between Moscow and Saint Petersburg and overnight trains are generally cheaper than the Sapsan. The most famous is the luxurious Red Arrow (Красная стрела), a train painted in bright red that departs Saint Petersburg daily at 23:55 while the song Hymn to the Great City plays on its loudspeakers.

The Paris-Moscow Express is a weekly train service that makes the 2-night 3,217km journey between Paris and Moscow. The train makes stops in Berlin, Warsaw, and Brest. The train includes 4-bed compartments (€245), 2-bed compartments (€345), and luxury compartments (€798).

Tickets for the Trans-Siberian Railway sell out and it is best to buy tickets well in advance. Tickets are sold by the operator as well as via agencies and resellers.

The main line of the Trans-Siberian Railway runs between Moscow and Vladivostok, the biggest Russian city on the Pacific Coast. The Rossiya train leaves Moscow every other day at 13:20, while the slower but cheaper trains #44 or #100 leave every day around midnight. Major stops include Yekaterinburg (24-31 hours; RUB2,000-9,000), Omsk (35-48 hours), Novosibirsk (46-54 hours), Krasnoyarsk (54-66 hours), Irkutsk (68-81 hours; RUB4,700-23,000), Ulan Ude (75-89 hours), and Vladivostok (7 days; RUB10,000-34,000).

The other routes of the Trans-Siberian Railway, between Moscow and China, are more popular among tourists. There are two weekly trains to/from Beijing (US$500-1,200), the Trans-Mongolian (Train #4) via Ulaanbaatar and the Trans-Manchurian (Vostok/Train #20) via Manchuria. Both journeys take six nights but the ride via Mongolia offers more scenery.

Moscow has 9 train stations, all of which are located near metro stations close to the center of Moscow. Be sure to note the station from which your train is departing, which will be indicated on the ticket, or online. Three stations (Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, and Kazansky) are located on one huge square, informally known as the "Three Stations' Square". A running joke among Moscow taxi drivers ever since the Soviet times is to be able to pick up a fare from one of them to the other, taking the unwary tourist on an elaborate ride in circles. Be prepared for enormous queues trying to enter or exit the Metro at peak times, as people are getting off or on the commuter trains.

Many entry points to Moscow over the Ring Road and into the city feature rotating roadblocks, where teams of traffic police may stop a vehicle, especially if it is not featuring Moscow plates. You may be stopped and questioned but you'll be allowed to proceed if you have all the proper documents.

The direct way to drive from Germany, Poland, or Belarus is along the E30 road, although it requires having permission to enter Belarus. If you can't enter Belarus, an alternative is to go via Latvia using the E22 from Riga.

The E18 provides easy access from Finland through Saint Petersburg and Novgorod. This route is also known as Russian Federal Highway M-10. Traffic on the M-10 is heavy.

Many domestic intercity buses stop at the Moscow Intercity Bus Terminal, next to the Shchelkovskaya Metro Station at the eastern terminus of Metro Line 3 (dark blue). Buses to the popular tourist destination of Suzdal operate from this station.

There are also several small bus stops and stations with buses to/from small towns that are not commonly visited by tourists.

There is no scheduled passenger service to Moscow by boat; however, cruise ships do provide service to the Northern River Terminal, on the Moscow Canal near the Khimki Reservoir. The pier is not convenient to the city and it can take over 2 hours to reach the city centre by car.

A system of navigable channels and locks connects the Moskva River with the Volga River, which is further connected to the Baltic Sea, White Sea, the Azov, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea. In the Soviet times this allowed the official propaganda to refer to Moscow as "a port on the five seas".

Be wary of bicyclists on the sidewalk weaving through pedestrians. Their numbers are growing steadily and no regulations are enforced. Always walk in a straight line and look over your shoulder if you move to the left or right. This is mostly a concern in the warmer months.

While central Moscow is best explored on foot, it's easiest to use public transportation to cover larger distances. The metro is comprehensive, boasts some great architecture, and is relatively cheap.

The easiest way to pay for metro fares is to buy a red paper ticket with a number of pre-loaded trips from the ticket booth. These tickets work on the buses and trolleys too. Fares depend on the number of trips purchased; an 11-trip card costs RUB320 (RUB29 per trip).

The cheapest way to use the public transportation system is to purchase a plastic Troika re-loadable smart-card. The card costs RUB50 and can be redeemed for cash at the end of your trip. You can "top up" your balance at any metro station. For each trip taken, RUB32 will be deducted from your card. Alternatively, red cards can be purchased at metro stations at a cost of RUB55 per trip or RUB720 for 20 trips. The red cards expire after 90 days.

The Metro is open from 5:30AM-1:00AM. Station entrances are closed at 1:00AM, and at this time the last trains depart from all of the termini stations. After 1:00AM, many locals will enter the train station using the exits, which are still open. Service on the ring line runs until 1:30AM, although entrances are closed at 1:00AM. The down escalators are also shut off at 1:00AM.

There is signage in the Metro stations in English and the Latin alphabet, but these signs are not everywhere. Each train carriage has a map in Latin script and there is one near the entrance to each station. Note the direction of the train before you alight. It is worth printing or saving to your phone a map of the metro system in both Cyrillic and Latin letters to take with you.

All trains in the system have free WiFi onboard, but you will need to have a Russian phone number to get the authorization code to access the WiFi.

Note that 2 or 3 stations may be connected as transfer points but will each have a different name. There are 2 stations called Smolenskaya and 2 stations called Arbatskaya, but the station pairs are not connected to each other despite having the same name. Some of the stations are very deep underground, and transfer times between certain metro lines can take a lot of time. In the city centre, it can save time to go directly to the above-ground entrance of the line you want to take rather than to enter at a connecting station and transfer underground. On the escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left.

The Vorob'evy gory Metro Station on Line #1 (red) is unique in that it is on a bridge crossing the Moscow River. This bridge also carries auto traffic road on another level. There is a beautiful view through the transparent sides of the station. A great observing point around Moscow is located nearby on Vorob'evy hills, next to the main building of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

There are a couple of unique trains operating through the system and you will be lucky if you get to ride them. Aquarelle (Watercolor) is a train that includes an art gallery. The train operates daily on Line #1 (red). The Sokolniki Retro Train is a train modeled after the original 1930s trains and it occasionally is placed into service, usually around a major anniversary of the metro system.

The metro is relatively safe, although pickpockets are a problem, as they are in any environment where a lot of people are pressed together. Opportunistic petty crime, such as snatching someone's mobile phone and jumping out just as the doors are closing, is also commonplace. Take the usual precautions at night. There is no train guard or conductor, so the first car near the driver may be the safest. Every car is equipped with an intercom to the driver's cabin; they are beige boxes with a grill and a black button near doors, and mostly work, unless visibly vandalized.

Every large street in the city is served by at least one bus and one trolleybus route, which necessitate an abundance of trolley wires in the city. Most Moscow buses and trolleybuses operate 05:30AM-01:00AM; however, there are a few routes that operate during the night.

Buses and trolleybuses never seem to follow their schedules, mostly due to traffic jams and delays, but they are frequent until the late evening.

A trolleybus route map is available online. A useful mobile app called Yandex Transport helps you locate a nearest bus, trolleybus or tram on the line. The red tickets for the metro can be used on the buses and trolleys too.

Marshrutka is a jitney-like mode of transport similar to a minibus. They follow similar routes as many bus lines and have a similar numbering system. Depending on the route, the fare is either paid in cash to the driver upon entering (usually RUB50) or is paid via a Troika card. They generally are faster and more efficient than buses, although the drivers are much more reckless. If you need to get off, you have to shout: "Остановите здесь!" (Astanaviti zdes, meaning "Stop here!") as loudly as possible so that the driver can hear. There is a saying "Тише скажешь – дальше выйдешь", meaning "If you speak quietly, you will travel far".

Local commuter trains (electrichkas) operate between the Moscow train stations and the suburbs of Moscow Oblast, but are of little for seeing the tourist attractions. Schedules can be accessed online at Yandex.ru.

Moscow Monorail is a 4.7km monorail line with 6 stations.
It is slower, less frequent, and has shorter operating hours when compared with the metro (every 15 min at peak hours, 25 min rest of the time). However, the view is picturesque. It is useful to get to the Ostankino Tower, or to get to the VDNKh exhibition centre from Metro Line #9 (silver).

NOTE: Beware of unofficial taxis that like to hang around tourist areas. They use a taxi meter; however, their meter goes by a fabricated inflated rate. A 10-minute ride can easily cost RUB3000 instead of RUB400. Make sure to negotiate a fixed price before entering. Smartphone-based apps such as Uber, Yandex Taxi, and GetTaxi are popular and reliable in Moscow and the rating systems and customer support force the drivers to be accountable.

Rates for UberX are the cheapest among rideshare and taxi services. Non-surge rates are RUB50 base fare + RUB8 per minute + RUB8 per kilometer, with a RUB100 minimum.

It is possible to negotiate the price with taxis drivers and not use the meter. Taxi fares within the Garden Ring are generally under RUB250. When negotiating with a street taxi, if you don't like the amount one guy is charging, you'll doubtlessly find another driver in a minute or two. Try to get an idea if the drivers know where they are going as many will pretend they know how to get to your destination just to get your business. Smartphone-based apps eliminate this problem since the drivers follow a GPS and the rates are fixed.

There are several taxi services operating in Moscow, the most noticeable on the streets being The New Yellow Taxi (Novoye Zholtoye Taxi). The cars are yellow Fords or Volgas (Russian car brand). They will charge the minimum rate of RUB250 no matter the distance.

If you're not good in Russian, there are several English-speaking taxi services operating in Moscow, the most notable being LingoTaxi. Prices are generally higher but booking by phone is easier.

Using a car in Moscow can be very time consuming and stressful. The street system was never designed to accommodate even a fraction of today's vehicles and the traffic jams never seem to clear until the night. Most roadways are in a constant state of disastrous disrepair. You will have to compete for the right-of-way with seasoned drivers in dented "Ladas" who know the tangle of the streets inside out and will not think twice before cutting you off at the first opportunity.

The drivers of the ubiquitous yellow "marshrutkas" are reckless, while buses stop, go and barge in and out of traffic at will, blissfully unaware of the surroundings. One bright spot is the relative dearth of the large 18-wheeler trucks on Moscow roads. Sometimes, all traffic on major thoroughfares may be blocked by police to allow government officials to blow through unimpeded, sirens blaring. There is very little parking. Parking illegally can lead to a hefty fine of RUB2500 and your car being towed. If you are driving to Moscow, park as soon as you can at a safe place such as your hotel and use public transit.

Parking is usually not free and the costs can be found online. Expect to pay RUB80/hour for the parking within the Boulevard Ring and the district, RUB60/hour - between Boulevard Ring and Garden Ring, RUB40/hour between Garnen Ring and Third Transport Ring. Payment is available through SMS (Russian SIM-cards only), mobile app or at parking columns (usually accepting credit cards only). You have to pay for the full hour upfront, unused money will be sent back to your account. Like many other Russian cities, parking spaces, even parking lots, are extremely disorganized, making safe parking a challenge.

However, if you have driven in Rome or Athens before, then it's not that hard to get accustomed to Moscow traffic. Just don't try to drive across the city during rush hours or you can be stuck for as long as 3 hours in traffic jams. Check one of the many traffic jam information websites before you start your journey. Taking the metro may actually be faster than driving. The most popular sites are Yandex Probki and Rambler Probki.

Roads are almost empty during holidays at the beginning of January and May as well as during weekends and the summer.

Boats are not the best way to move around the city fast, but they do offer great scenery.

Stolichnaya Sudokhodnaya Kompania (Capital River Boat Tour Company) offers several scenic routes geared for tourists with prices in the range of RUB400-800. A pass is included in some hop-on-hop-off tours.

Flotilla Radisson Royal offers several year-round cruises with prices in the range of RUB650-2,000. Unlike other tourist boats, these boats can move on ice very smoothly so that the waiter can easily pour champagne in crystal glasses on a table. There are huge panoramic windows to protect against the wind. The food is overpriced. The trips depart from either Hotel Ukraina or Gorky Park.

A few hydrofoil passenger ships operate service from the North River Terminal to Bukhta Radosti (Bay of Joy), a popular picnic and barbeque spot with many cafes. This terminal is not close to the city center; the closest metro station is Rechnoi Vokzal.

Velobike operates a bike sharing network that has over 2,700 bicycles available at over 300 bike stations throughout city. To use it, you first have to register on the web site or via the mobile app. Membership rates are RUB150 per day or RUB500 for a month. Usage fees, which are in addition to membership fees, vary, but the first 30 minutes are free. This is intentional to encourage people to use the system for short place-to-place trips; however, after riding for 30 minutes, you can dock your bike into a station, wait 2 minutes, and then take the bike out again to restart the timer. The service is only operational in the spring and summer months. After docking the bike you should get an text message confirmation. If you do not get a confirmation, you should call the company; otherwise, you will be fined.

The hop-on-hop-off bus is a convenient way for tourists to see the major sights quickly and efficiently. The buses feature English-speaking guides to answer any questions. A 1 day pass costs US$24 for adults and US$15 for children.

Red Square - The heart of Moscow and the first destination for most visitors to the city. Surrounded by St. Basil's Cathedral, the State History Museum, Lenin's Mausoleum and one of the Kremlin's long brick walls. The cobbles that make up the square are black and not red; the name comes from another gloss of the Russian word "krasniy", meaning "beautiful". Metro: Ohotnii Ryad, Teatralnaya or Ploshad Revolutsii.

Lenin Mausoleum - in the centre of the Red Square. Walk past the embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin (who actually did not want any monuments to be built for him) and join the debate: is it really him? You must leave all cameras, phones and bags in the luggage office. Free admission. Open 10AM-1PM Tu, W, Th, Sa; closed on Su, M, F.

St Basil Cathedral - in the south part of Red Square. Built in 1555-61. Inside is a museum, although it looks best from the outside, but if you have the time, take a peek inside.

Inside the Kremlin

The Kremlin Museum Complex, [1]. Includes the Armoury Collection of royal clothing and chariots, the Diamond Fund, several churches, the Patriarch Palace and the Bell Tower (open only in the summer). Guided tours fill up fast and should be booked early. Photography is prohibited in many exhibits.RUB350-700. edit

The Grand Kremlin Palace, [2]. The official residence of the Russian President. A historic palace with rooms dating back to the 16th century. The exterior can be seen as part of a visit to the Kremlin Museum Complex. The interior is only open to the public by group tour two or three times a month and must be booked in advance.USD344+. edit

Tretyakov Gallery – One of Russia's greatest museums, this is probably the one to choose if you only want to visit one museum in Moscow. In contrast to the worldwide collection of the Pushkin Museum, the Tretyakov is mostly a collection of Russian art. It has the best collection of Russian icons and many of the most famous pieces of modern Russian artists like Ilya Repin. Metro: Tretyakovskaya or Novokuznetskaya. There are two Tretyakov museums: the classic one and the 20th Century one. The 20th Century one is in the Artist's House Cultural Center across from Gorky Park. They charge separate entry fees.

Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

Pushkin Museum (ulitsa Volkhonka, 12) is dedicated to Western art and has one of the world's most significant Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, along with some Old Masters. The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists were rather unfortunately relocated to an annex in 2007 across the street from the main building. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

Novodevichy Convent – Both a convent and a fortress, Novodevichy was built in the early 1500s and has remained nearly intact since the 17th century, making it one of the best preserved historical complexes in Moscow. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is one of Russia's most famous cemeteries. Famous people buried there include Anton Chekhov, Nickolai Gogol, Konstantine Stanislavski, Nikita Khrushchev, Raisa Gorbachev (the former President's wife), and Boris Yeltsin. Metro: Sportivnaya. Open from 9am until 5pm. If you want to locate the graves of famous people, you can try and buy a map (only in Russian) from the booth close to the entrance of the cemetery. However, the lady at the booth is rude to the tourists who don't speak Russian.

Church of the Ascension

Church of the Ascension (ЦерковьВознесенияГосподня). Built to commemorate the birth of Ivan the Terrible, Kolomenskoye's Church of the Ascension upended the Byzantine style with its wooden conical tower, and proved to be a milestone in the history of Russian ecclesiastical architecture. Since 1994, it has enjoyed a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Metro: Kolomenskaya or Kashirskaya, then walk through Kolomenskoye park.edit

Kremlin in Izmailovo (Izmaylovsky Kremlin) - 890-y Proyektiruemyy pr-d (metro: Partizanskaya) - The complex called “Kremlin in Izmailovo” is located on the bank of Serebryano-Vinogradny pond. City holidays, fairs and festivals take place in Izmaylovsky Kremlin. It has inside it various small museums (russian dresses, bells, history of vodka, etc.); there you can find also a wooden temple: Santifier Nikolay's Temple. If you are nearby, it worth a visit.

Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines, Kuznecky most, 12 (Metro: Kuznecky most), ☎+79161671925, [4]. 13:00-20:00. Great new space full of old soviet fun! Go hunting, shoot torpedoes, drive cars, check your strength and much more... Price includes 15 15 kopek coins to enjoy the games. It also features a cozy cafe/burger place. Fill out the survey and leave them your e-mail address for 3 additional coins. Free tour in Russian included in the price if you specifically ask for it.450 RUB. edit

Garage Museum of Contemporary Art[135] is an independent platform for new thinking locating in Gorky Park. Through an extensive program of exhibitions, research, education, and publishing, Garage reflects on current developments in Russian and international culture, creating opportunities for public dialogue and the production of new work and ideas. Founded in 2008 by Dasha Zhukova in Moscow, the institution is building a unique research archive focusing on the development of contemporary art in Russia while pioneering diverse educational projects for families and professionals that are the first of their kind in the country. These provide the foundation from which experimental exhibitions, events, and screenings are initiated.

VDNKh (All-Rssia Exhibition Centre) main entry

VDNKh, aka VVTs. The Russian acronym "VDNKh" stood for "Exhibit of the People's Economic Achievements". It has been since renamed "All-Russian Exhibition Centre" ("Vserossiyskiy Vystavochniy Tsentr"). However, it is popularly known by the Soviet abbreviations. Previously this was a massive exhibit of the advances and progress of the USSR. Now it is largely a marketplace for everything from computers to bicycles. However, many of the monuments and fountains here make the area a nice place to stroll. Bicycles and roller skates rent is available.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Christ the Saviour Cathedral – This cathedral, the tallest Orthodox church in the world (the largest being the Temple of St. Sava in Belgrade), was blown up on orders from Stalin in 1931, with the view of building the gargantuan Palace of the Soviets, to be crowned by a 100 m high statue of Lenin. The project ran into engineering and geological difficulties (the area used to be a swamp), then the War intervened, and the place was ceded to a year-round open-air swimming pool. The pool was razed and the cathedral rebuilt only after the fall of the Soviet Union, in the mid-nineties. There is an extensive museum underneath the cathedral documenting its history (the original was started in 1839 and consecrated in 1883). Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

Garden of Fallen Monuments – Where many infamous statues in Moscow were placed after the Soviet collapse. See Dzherzinsky, Stalin, Brezhnev, and others. Adjacent to the New Tretyakov Museum, which houses 20th century art. After the Pushkin Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery, this is worth seeing. Metro: Oktyabrskaya.

Russian State Library, Vozdvizhenka, 3/5 (Metro: Biblioteka Im.V.I.Lenina/Alexandrovskii Sad/Borovitskaya/Arbatskaya (Dark Blue line, east exit)), [6]. M—F: 09:00–20:00; Sa: 09:00–19:00; Su: closed. One of the largest libraries in the world. Anyone (Russian or foreign) over 18 can view electronic media for free, other items may be viewed by purchasing a "Reader's Card" (a photo id to gain access to physical materials). Previously received a copy of every book, musical score, and map published in the USSR, it now only receives a copy of every Russian book. The military reading room receives over 15,000 readers a year.edit

Bunker-42, Baumanskaya ulitsa 11 (Metro: Taganskaya (the bunker has an actual underground connection to this station, though it is unusable as an entrance)), [7]. Decomissioned cold war era soviet underground military nuclear bunker; now a museum. Entrance by guided tour in Russian.Depends on the tour, usually around RUB2,000. edit

Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center[136] - Newly opened in Nov. 2012 and one of the most technologically advanced museums in Russia, this institution tells the history of Russian Jews primarily through interactive media. Metro: Maryina Roshcha.

Central Museum of the Armed Forces (ЦентральныйМузейВооруженныхсил), 129110, г.Москва, ул. Советской Армии, д.2, стр.1 (Come out of Dostoyevskaya metro, facing the red army theatre (the big building shaped like a 5-pointed star). Take the street to the right of it that runs along side Ekaterininskiy park.), ☎+7 (495) 681-18-80, [8]. Decent-sized museum filled with militaria and exhibitions from the last few centuries of Russian warfare. The best bits are in the park at the back though (head downstairs and out) where there is an impressive collection of armoury - mostly WW2 and Soviet era including a couple of SU-27s, and SS-20 launcher, a bunch of tanks and an armoured loco. English is close to non-existent though.RUB150. edit

Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum (Музей-панорамаБородинскаябитва), [9]. 10.00 a.m. — 6.00 p.m, Thursday 10 a.m. — 9 p.m, closed Friday. Museum covering some of the history of the battle, in Russian and a large painting showing the scene of the battle.edit

State Museum-Reserve Tsaritsyno, [10]. A beautiful reserve in the southern part of Moscow, its nucleus being the largest palatial ensemble in Russia. Constructed between 1775 and 1796 to be the residence of Catherine the Great, the ensemble was abondoned after her death and turned into ruins during following centuries. A decision had been reached in 1984 to completely restore Tsaritsyno architectural and park ensemble. Majority of the architectural monuments have already undergone restoration, Grand Palace having completed by 2007. Exhibitions and expositions of the museum demonstrate various pages of Tsaritsyno history and rich collections of arts and crafts. Metro: Tsaritsyno, Orekhovo.edit

Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography, Bolotnaya emb., 3/1, [11]. The Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography is a private exhibition organization located in the former chocolate factory Red October in Moscow. Since its foundation in 2010, the center aims to explore and promote Russian and foreign photography, support emerging Russian artists and explore beyond the medium. The center's exhibitions were shown at the State Russian Museum in St-Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk museum center, Cherepovets museum association, Kazan city hall, and Ekaterinburg museum of Fine Arts. The center's exhibition programme aims to explore and present photography to a wider audience. The program has been built around the center’s collection and collaborations with archives, contemporary photographers, private collectors and photography associations. Metro: Kripotkinskaya, Polyanka.edit

Old Arbat Street – Walk down this kitschy street and don't forget to look at the small by-streets around the Arbat. They allow you to feel the "old Moscow spirit". Arbat is full of souvenir vendors, tourist cafes, lousy restaurants, artists, etc. The prices of the souvenirs vary from reasonable to ripoff, but vendors are open to negotiation. Metro: Smolenskaya (both blue lines), Arbatskaya (both blue lines, from Dark Blue line take west exit).

New Arbat Street – Located near Old Arbat Street, this street offers a contrast from the touristy pedestrian-only thoroughfare. New Arbat is perhaps where Moscow's rich are the most visible, as some of Moscow's most expensive restaurants and nightclubs are located here. There are some reasonably priced cafes, however. The street is lavishly lit up at night and is always very lively. Also, check out Dom Knigi (House of Books) on New Arbat. It's not as impressive as the St. Petersburg store, but probably the best bet for books in Moscow. Metro: Arbatskaya (both blue lines, take west exit for Dark Blue line).

Tverskaya Street – This street starts from the Kremlin itself and runs northwest in the direction of Tver (hence the name) and Saint Petersburg. For that reason the road was a very important thoroughfare in Tsarist Russia. It is now Moscow's most fashionable street, with several prestigious boutiques. It is also lined with cafes, restaurants, coffeehouses, a couple of theaters, and several hotels, including two locations of the Marriott. Most of the street's architecture doesn't actually have much history to it, though along the way you will find Russia's first, and the world's busiest, McDonalds. The statue of Pushkin at Pushkinskaya Square is a very popular meeting point. Walk its length. From Red Square to Belorusski Train Station is about one hour and is a great way to see the most famous street in Moscow. Take a peek inside the Yeliseev Grocery Store, Moscow's answer to Harrod's food halls, to see the restored ornate interior. Metro south to north: Ohotnii Ryad/Teatralnaya, Tverskaya/Pushkinskaya/Chehovskaya (Puskinskaya Square), Mayakovskaya (Triumfalnaya Square, sometimes called second Theatre square, containing Chaikovskii Concert Hall, Satire Theatre and nearby Mossovet Theatre), Belorusskaya.

Vorobyovy Gory – The best place for a view of Moscow from the ground. Near the main Moscow State University building, there is a popular lookout point where one can see much of the city on clear days. Metro: A walk from either metro Universitet or Vorobyovy Gory. As alternative, trolleybus #7 (only before about 21:30) can also take you from/to Kievskaya, Leninskii prospect or Oktyabrskaya metro

Moscow has many attractions, but many of them are not friendly to a non-Russian-speaker. English-language newspapers like The Moscow Times, Element, Moscow News and others can help navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services.

Bolshoi Theatre, (Metro: Ohotnii Ryad, Teatralnaya or Ploshad Revolutsii.), ☎+7 (495) 455-5555 ([email protected]), [13]. The grand theatre in the center of the city. Includes ballet, opera, and classical music performances. Tickets usually sell out well in advance. You do not need to dress up to attend. The historic theatre also offers English tours Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:15pm.RUB8000+. edit

Moscow has two circuses, the Nikulin circus on Tsvetnoi Bulvar (metro Tsvetnoi Bulvar), and the new circus near the University. Tickets can be bought for as little as RUB200, and even these seats are good. Touts may be selling tickets outside and can save you a lot of queueing, and they'll speak more English than the ticket office. Sometimes they are selling tickets at the cover price, and sometime at twice the price. Ask and make sure before parting with your cash.

The Obraztsov Puppet Theatre at the very north part of the Garden Ring has performances during the winter in the evening. Everything is in Russian and meant for children, but the stories are simple and quite understandable even if you don't understand Russian. There is a small box in front of the building where a puppet appears every hour and does a performance. At 12 midday all of the puppets appear for a short but entertaining appearance.

Make sure you visit a Russian bathhouse(banya) while in Moscow, as it's an important Russian tradition and Russians, especially aged 40+, go at least once a week. Have a hot steam, followed by a good whipping with birch branches. While its not the most pleasant experience, the benefits you'll receive afterward will enable you to understand why Russians are loyal to their banya.

Sandunovskye Baths (Sanduny), Neglinnaya Str. 14 Building 3-7 (Metro: Kyznetsky Most or Trubnaya), ☎+7 495 782-1808, [16]. The oldest and most famous Banya in Moscow, it looks like a palace with enormous halls, marble stairs, and frescos. The restaurant serves drinks for the complete after-banya experience. 90-minute guided tours are available on Tuesday evenings.4-person bath room: From RUB4,000/hour, with a 2-hour minimum. (55.76416,37.62165)edit

Lefortovskie Baths, Lefortovsky Val, 9A (Metro: Aviamotornaya), ☎+7 495 362-55-70 07, [19]. Famous for its traditionally-Russian massage with brooms soaked in mead where cold water is poured on you to get the blood flowing!edit

Moscow Zoo, Bolshaya Gruzinskaya str., 1, [22]. The oldest and the biggest zoo in Russia, has over 1000 animal species.edit

Russian cooking classes are widely available. Learn how to cook “borsh“, “pelmeni”, “uha”, “kelubyaka”, etc. Neither experience nor deep cooking knowledge are required. The one thing you really need is a good mood, willing to communicate and to actively take part in the cooking. Everybody gets involved. The classes are conducted in English by friendly locals.

Gorkiy Park, (Metros: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury, Frunzenskaya. It's almost impossible to find a parking lot nearby on the weekend without breaking the parking rules, so it's better to get there by bus or on foot), [24]. The most well known of Moscow's many parks, Gorky Park is one of the trendiest places in the city due to its cafes, places to stroll, an open-air cinema theatre, free Wi-Fi, and contemporary public art projects. In winter, it's a popular place to ice skate and it hosts an ice sculpture competition. You can rent a boat or bicycle.edit

Victory Park – This massive memorial to WWII was built for the 50-year anniversary of V-E day in 1995. On weekends, it is very popular with newlyweds. The park now has its own metro station of the same name (Park Pobedy, on the Dark Blue line). There is also a museum to WWII worth visiting if you like military history.

Kolomenskoye (Kolomenskiy park), (Metro: Kolomenskaya/Kashirskaya. From Kolomenskaya take south exit, then after exit from metro station proper in the underground passage turn left, and then right. Upon leaving underground passage continue going straight for about 300 meters (along east side of Andropov prospekt) to the entrance. Lack of direction signs may be confusing, ask for directions when needed. From Kashirskaya metro walk along the path in general east-north-east direction to the underground passage under Andropov prospekt, the entrance to the park will be right after it. During the summer season special boats operate on Moscow river. There are several loading docks along river. If you are in the centre of Moscow, take boat to the south. There is a loading dock right in the park. Not all boats go there, so check it with the crew.), ☎8 (499) 612-52-17, [25]. This former imperial estate is now a very popular weekend destination for Muscovites. It is a vast collection of churches and other buildings from the 16 and 17th centuries, including some wooden architecture that was transported here by the Soviet government from Karelia.Free (the park and museum). There are individual fees for each exhibition ($2-$10 per exhibition). edit

Park Sokolniki, Metro Sokolniki (It is a short walk from metro station to main gate along the alley. North of park is also accessible directly from Malenkovskaya train station or via a walk from Moskva-3 train station from Yaroslavl direction train line). A popular recreational park, which also hosts an exhibition centre. The place to go to experience the Russian nature without going far away from the centre. This is the place to experience Shashlik (Russian/Geogeian kebab) at a very low price (compared with other places) they can be found selling under huge tents all over the park. The park has an amusement park for the kids so they don't get bored. For the want to be hunter there are two Tirs bibi gun shooting ranges with only $1.40 per five shots. If you have a lot of time explore the forest deeper in the park you will find hard-to-find-in-America Birch trees and many people picking mushrooms (a national hobby) if you want to taste real russian spirt this is the best sample. The area is now infested with many high class hotels , such as Holiday Inn and others. One might like to try the goring church of the Jesus Christ, adjacent to park. edit

Patriarshi ponds area, Metro Mayakovskaya (From metro walk along Sadovoye Ring, passing Satire and Mossoveta Theatres to Bronnaya street, then turn left.). There is only one pond left, but it is squared with buildings so it is quite peaceful here despite hectic Sadovoye Ring nearby. Here you can take a nice walk and enjoy the mysterious atmosphere, for which the area is famous - due to the novel of Mikhail BulgakovMaster and Margaret (Master i Margarita), which is well-known for its combination of demonology, mysticism, humour, satire, art and love as well as wonderful depictions of Moscow of the thirties. Some moscovites are eager to take a seat on a bench with their back to Malaya Bronnaya street, as it is a reference to the novel.edit

Aptekarskiy ogorod, Metro Prospekt Mira (it even had former name Botanicheskii Sad)/Suharevskaya (From Ring Line exit from Prospekt Mira station, turn left and walk 200 metres. After you'll pass the fence of Bryusov house museum, you'll see contemporary glass building (look for Valiano restaurant and flower shop). Turn left to the rampant after birches. The ticket-offices will be beyond glass doors, the entrance to the garden will be even further. On days of sports or other events in Olimpiiskii Sportcomplex as well as on Muslim holidays, a walk from Suharevskaya metro station is less crowded and more recommended. A walk from Kalanchevskaya train station along Groholskii side street is also possible.), [26]. (approximately) May-Sept 10:00-22:00, Oct-Apr 10:00-17:00. Garden may be closed for 2-3 weeks in April or in other time due to bad weather; for 1-2 weeks in September for gardening works; for day or several hours in case of various events.. One of the few paid-entrance parks in Moscow. Small but very cozy; very carefully maintained; popular for photo sessions on weddings and babies.RUB100/RUB150 after 18:00. edit

Japanese garden in Botanichesky Sad, (Closest metro is Botanicheskii Sad and entrance to Gardens via a back gate. Routes from Vladykino metro or Botanicheskaya street gate only slightly longer). Small and well-maintained; excellent for making photos.RUB100/RUB150 for workdays/weekends and holidays. RUB50/RUB80 for students and pupils. RUB10/RUB20 for pensioners. edit

Moscow remains the educational centre of Russia and the former USSR. There are 222 institutes of higher education, including 60 state universities & 90 colleges. Some of these offer a wide-spectrum of programs, but most are centred around a specific field. This is a hold-over from the days of the USSR, when Soviet-wide there were only a handful of wide-spectrum "universities" and a large number of narrow-specialization "institutes" (mostly in Moscow and Saint Petersburg). Moscow offers some of the best business/management, science, & arts schools in the world. Moscow is also a popular destination for foreign students to learn Russian.

MGU Russian, [27]. Russian language courses for everyone from beginners to advanced students at MGU, Moscowedit

LMSU Center for International Education, [28]. Russian courses from 4 wks-3 semesters: Pre-university Russian (to prepare for a Russian-language university education, teaches jargon/vocabulary for 6 fields), preparation to be a teacher of Russian, & 6 levels of Russian for fun. edit

Moscow Aviation Institute (State University of Aerospace Technologies), [29]. Specializes in Aviation-related science & engineering. Courses in Russian, but the school has "Pre-school" Russian courses & a tolerance for some English.edit

I.M Sechenov First State Moscow Medical University, [30]. As the name suggests, this school offers Medical & Pharmacological degrees exclusively. It claims to be the oldest medical school in Russia and once to be a medical department of Lomonosov Moscow State University. Courses in Russian, but Russian courses for English-speakers offered. First 2-3 years courses can be in English, afterwards in clinical years mainly in the Russian language. edit

You will need a work visa which is not an easy process. The visa needs to be arranged well in advance of travelling.
It is possible to work in Moscow, you just need to find a good company to support you.

Credit card acceptance is widespread. ATMs are plentiful, display in English and accept the major card networks such as Visa/Plus and MasterCard/Cirrus. Currency exchange offices are plentiful in the city, but be sure to count your change and note that the advertised rates sometimes don't include an added commission or only apply to large exchanges. Be sure to break your RUB5,000 and RUB1,000 notes where you can since the smaller merchants, street vendors and even many metro clerks often refuse them.

Izmaylovsky Market, (In Izmalylovo Park; Take the metro to ''Partizanskaya'' station, turn left out of the station, cross the street, and walk down the path with the hotels on your left towards the wooden fortress and find the market). A one-stop souvenir venue with hundreds of vendors selling everything from matryoshka dolls to fur hats to lacquer boxes to expensive jewelry. The ground level is where souvenirs are sold. Because some vendors only show up on weekends, the best selections are on Saturday, from 10am to 6pm or Sunday from 10am to around 3, but it's open every day of the week. Beware of the police here as they are looking for an excuse to take money from tourists without proper regard for the rules.edit

Aviapark, (Free shuttle bus from Dinamo, Polezhaevskaya or Savelovskaya metro stations), [31]. Opened in 2014, at 390,000 square meters, this is Europe's largest shopping mall. There are more than 500 shops, a cinema with 17 halls, winter garden, and a 4-level aquarium with tropical fish. The stores were initially slow to open due to the weak economy but it is now fairly busy. Don't expect to find anything of particular interest here, it is full of mainstream shops and brands that you could easily find in any other large shopping mall anywhere else in the world. And if you were thinking you might find a bargain, think again, compared for example with Western Europe or North America, prices are steep. Most interesting is probably roaming around the supermarket, where you'll be able to find all kinds of Russian foods and an impressive selection of vodka, despite it being a French chain (Auchan). The aquarium is impressive but it's certainly not worth visiting Aviapark specifically to see it.edit

Evropeisky, (At Kiyevsky Station), ☎+7 495 921-34-44, [32]. Opened in 2006. Many international brand-name shops e.g. Marks and Spencer, Next, Levi's, Calvin Klein, and Swatch can be found here. There is also a multi-screen cinema, food gallery, supermarket, and opticians.edit

GUM, (Adjacent to Red Square; Metro: Ploschad Revolutsii), ☎+7 495 788-43-43, [35]. Once filled with Soviet-era goods of mediocre quality, it is now a mall with international labels and hyper-expensive boutiques. Even if you don't buy anything, it's highly recommended you go inside and look at the architecture.edit

Detskiy Mir (Children's World), (Metro: Lubyanka), [36]. Has stores selling toys, books, DVDs, and souvenirs. Again, even if you do not buy anything, its worth going to explore this building.edit

Dining establishments in Moscow range from food stalls near metro stations to quick canteen-style 'Stolovaya' eateries to American-style fast food chains to overpriced restaurants catering to tourists to high-end restaurants where you can spend RUB10,000.

Restaurants and cafes promising "European and Caucasus cuisine" generally cater to tourists and are usually bad; seek a restaurant that specializes in a single region instead (Georgian, Russian, Italian, French, etc.).

Many small restaurants offer lunch specials costing RUB200-250. These deals are valid from 12:00 to 15:00 and include a cup of soup or an appetizer, a small portion of the main dish of the day, bread and a non-alcoholic beverage.

Authentic ethnic food from countries of the nearby Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia) is common in Moscow. Japanese food, including sushi, rolls, tempura, and steakhouses are very popular in Moscow. Other Asian cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese are becoming increasing more common.

Free-standing kiosks serving sausages, meat pies, or kebobs are plentiful, although the origins of the meat served is questionable and the food has been known to occasionally make people sick. McDonalds and KFC have locations near almost every shopping mall. It is common to pay extra for condiments.

Kroshka-Kartoshka – These green kiosks sell microwave-baked potatoes as well as toasted sandwiches and a few drinks. Hot and filling, but rather expensive for a potato.

Teremok – These brown-colored kiosks sell large blinchiki, Russian crepes that come with a variety of fillings. Very tasty and authentic. Make sure to try the Kvass, a traditional Russian drink made from rye bread.

Kruzhka – Serves cheap food and mugs of beer. 20 locations around Moscow. The menu is relatively simple, consisting mainly of types of kebab and shawarma, with fries. Sports events are on often shown on televisions or a big screen.

Prime Star – Specializing in natural food such as sandwiches and salads. RUB400 for a cold soup, salad, and beverage.

In these cafeterias, you take a tray, move along a counter with food (either taking the dishes yourself or asking the staff to give you a bowl of soup, a plate of vegetables, etc.) and pay at the cash register at the end of the counter. These self-serve establishments have decent quality food, no waiting time, and good prices. Canteen chains include Café Moo-Moo (30 locations) and Grabli (Грабли).

Hard Rock Cafe, Old Arbat Street 44, ☎+7-499-241-98-53, [39]. Serves the same menu it does worldwide for reasonable prices. Open for breakfast at 06:00 and serve traditional Western breakfasts. Freshly squeezed orange juice and hash browns are a highlight here. You can eat outdoors and watch the endlessly fascinating parade of characters that walk the street all day and all night. There is a popular language exchange meeting on the 2nd floor every Sunday beginning at 6PM.edit

Lavash, Tsvetnoy Blvd 7с1 (100m south of the Nikulin circus on Tsvetnoi Bulvar), ☎+7 495 625-82-85, [41]. Cuisine from the Caucus region. Large menu with pictures, good choice of Russian beer and vodka at reasonable prices.edit

Ragout (Рагу), 2 locations, [45]. Trendy place for 30-year-olds and up; one of the most moderate-priced French cuisine places. Very friendly to children: weekend drawing classes etc with proficient mentors.edit

George Best, Rybniy Pereulok, 2 (Gostinyi dvor) (M. Ploshchad' Revolyutsii, M. Kitay-gorod), ☎+7(495)201-30-93, [46]. Gastropub named after the legendary Manchester United footballer & playboy is trying to satisfy adult hipster sport fans with high quality food, wide range of beers and cocktails, broadcasts and weekend techno/house parties. Located inside Gostiny Dvor, the medieval trading area turned contemporary mall just east of the Kremlin, the 19th century exposed-brick interior has three floors, and a variety of atmosphere.edit

Starlite Diner (Старлайт), [48]. 24 hours. A small chain of American-style diners, where you can still try Russian borsch or pelmeni. Popular among Moscow expats and the Moscow middle-class crowd for quality food and fast service.edit

VietCafe, Several locations, [49]. A popular chain of Vietnamese restaurants.RUB500. edit

Cafe Pushkin (КафеПушкинъ), Tverskoy Blvd 26А (Metro: Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya), [54]. Has a cafe and restaurant (cafe is cheaper). A fake 19th century mansion (built in 1999) that pretends to be a tourist attraction, not just a place to eat. The legend goes that so many foreigners were asking for the restaurant with this name that they finally opened one. With a stretch of imagination the food might pass for what it purports to be, the aristocratic Russian cuisine from the Czarist times.edit

Riviera, 4 Bolshaya Dorogomilovskaya Ul. (Metro: Kievskaya), ☎+7 499 243-09-77, [55]. French restaurant with live music from a harp. Great ambiance but the service can be slow.edit

Vogue Cafe, ul. Kuznetskiy Most (Kuznetskiy Bridge), 7/9 (across the street from TSUM on Kyznetski Most Street building 7/9), [57]. The restaurant is a great little find but do not be fooled by the word cafe. It is quite trendy inside and can be busy in the evening. Overall, the food is absolutely delicious.Fish dishes range between RUB800-1300; Wine: RUB4,000+ per bottle. edit

White Rabbit, 3, Smolenskaya Square (Metro: Smolenskaya), ☎+7 (495) 66 33 999, [58]. Astonishing interiors in fusion style. Combining an old fireplace with fretted designer furniture and an active bar in the middle of the hall with a 360 degree panorama view of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ukraina hotel. You get an outstanding view on the Garden Ring, the New Arbat and the river Moscow through the windows.edit

Cafe Didu, Myasnitskaya 24 (Kitay Gorod), ☎+7 495 624-13-20, [61]. A large bar with furniture and artwork, including a portrait of Vladimir Putin, made out of clay.edit

English Pub Albion (АнглийскийпабАльбион), Manezhnaya Ploshchad 1 (M. Aleksandrovsky Sad, M. Okhotny Ryad), ☎+7 495 6080383, [62]. 12AM-2AM Mon-Sun. First English pub opened in Moscow, existing since 2003. It is not so easy to find it - look for the entrance with the territory of the Alexander Garden, opposite to the eternal flame.edit

Simple Things-Nikitskaya (Простыевещи), B. Nikitskaya, 14, ☎+7 (495) 629 34 94, [65]. Great choice of wines and snacks in a cozy basement right across Cofemania, with a special person who sit downs to talk (and recommend a drink or two) with you if you're alone.edit

Rule Tap Room, Starovagankovskiy Lane, 19/7 (Metro Borovitskaya), ☎(985) 168-08-19 ([email protected]), [67]. 4pm-midnight daily. A truly incredible selection of draught and bottled craft beers. A young crowd and a great place to try a fantastic variety of every possible kind of beer.edit

Gogol Bar, 3 locations: Pereulok. Stoleshnikov 11; Arbat and Maroseika St. (The entrance to the bar is between Vivienne Westwood and the Lancel boutique.), ☎+7 495 514-09-44, [69]. The interior, menu and drinks are quite simple. Musical performances every weekend. During the winter, the small yard is used as a skating rink.edit

Propaganda (Пропаганда), Zlatoustinskiy Bolshoy per., 7 (Metro: Kitay Gorod), ☎+7 495 624-57-32, [70]. 11:30AM-6AM Mon-Sun. A great alternative bar with lots of cheap drinks. With great music, a hip and funky crowd, as well as a relatively relaxed door control. A great place to dance all night and have fun. Also very good value-for-money place to eat.Vodka: RUB100; Beer: RUB150. edit

Moscow has several café chains with great coffee. Moscow also has a good selection of tea saloons. High-quality infusion teas such as Newby, are widely available in cafes, both in packets and loose. Also most coffee shops serve invented in Moscow coffee drink called Raf.

Asking to add boiling water to the tea you ordered earlier is a practice that some cafes don't welcome, but normally it's acceptable.

Bulka, Pokrovka 19; Bolshaya Gruzinskaya 69; Park Sokolniki; «Otrada» shopping mall, [71]. This bakery is known for its award-winning coffee. A great place to have a hearty breakfast, a delicious and reasonable priced «business lunch» or an outstanding dessert. Every spot provides free wi-fi and has a special menu for kids.edit

Volkonsky, Maroseika 4/2. For a late night nibble or a quick morning pick me up, Volkonsky is one of the better places in Moscow that doubles as a bakery/coffee shop. Great ambiance and a neighborhood feel.edit

With the exception of some high-end hotels, all hotels and hostels offer free WiFi and many have computer terminals. Almost all accept credit cards. Hotels and hostels will usually provide a visa invitation and registration for an additional fee.

Alfa, Izmailovskoe shosse 71a (Metro: Partizanskaya), ☎+7 (495) 646-0155 (fax: +7 (495) 646-0155), [80]. The hotel is built on the site of the old village "Izmailovo", which was the suburban estate of Russian Tsars (and some medieval buildings still stand there, about 15 min walk from the hotel). Peter the Great spent there his childhood. "Alfa" was built in 1980 for the Olympic games. The project authors were awarded with the State prize. The rooms reveal a panoramic view of the Park and Petrovskii lakes.From RUB2,900. edit

Boulevard (Bulvar), 1 Sretenka, ☎7 (495) 7767276, [83]. All rooms have air-conditioner, a plasma TV with cable, a telephone, and private toilet and shower. Some of its amenities include dry cleaning/laundry and massage service.Weekend: From RUB2,500; Weekday: From RUB4,800. edit

Courtyard Moscow City Center, Voznesenskiy per., 7, [84]. Can be noisy during conferences.edit

Elegant Hotel, 8 Pokrovka str., 32, ☎+7 (495) 625-98-32, [85]. All rooms have air-conditioning, a cable TV, and an en-suite toilet and bath. Some of its amenities are restaurant and bar, a business center, and a beauty parlor.From RUB3000. edit

Ermitage Pokrovka Hotel, Durasovsky per 7, ☎007 (495) 9171919, [86]. Furnished rooms, all of which have a cable TV, a mini-bar, and a telephone. Some of its amenities are dry cleaning/laundry and room service.From RUB5580. edit

Silky Way, 45 Lenina Street, pos. Oktyabrskiy, Lyuberetskiy District, ☎7 (495) 225 20 02, [92]. In an area that was once part of the Great Silk Road. It offers cozy rooms, all of which have air-conditioner, cable TV, mini-bar, and refrigerator. Includes restaurant and bar and fitness room/gym.Single: RUB3,800; Double: RUB5,300. edit

Soyuz, Levoberezhnaya. St. 12, ☎(495) 956-29-99, [93]. In a wood-park zone which is only a 15-minute ride equally distant both from the international airport “Sheremetievo-2” and the centre. The hotel's accommodation facilities encompass 29 single rooms, 119 two-person and 10 two-room luxe, All of them are nicety furnished with Italian furniture and equipped with satellite TV.From RUB2,000. edit

Vintage, Leningradskoe shosse 297 (5km from Sheremetyevo Airport), ☎007 (495)943—76-59, [95]. Located in a 19th-century building. Satellite TV and a private bathroom. Some rooms have a separate bedrooms and living room. Breakfast available. Room service is available and packed lunches can be organised for day trips. A tour desk offers advice on what to see and do in Moscow. Other facilities include a 24-hour reception, safety deposit box and free newspapers.From RUB2,400. edit

Golden Ring, Smolenskaya ulitsa, 5 (short walk to Arbat Street and the Foreign Ministry building), [98]. Disappointing service for a 5 star hotel, although the amenities and breakfast served daily are commendable. Views from the rooms are fantastic, and the hotel is located near all the main tourist sites.From RUB8,000. edit

Moscow enjoys a relatively low crime rate. However, Moscow is a large metropolis, so common sense should be used. Avoid dark alleys - like you would anywhere else. Check the advice from your Foreign Office for entry requirements, health, safety, local laws and customs.

Keep an eye out for pickpockets on metro; avoid going on dark deserted streets at night.

The police may demand to see your papers to check if you have been registered within 7 business days of your arrival into Moscow. Always remember that if you stay in a hotel then you are automatically registered and will be handed a confirmation paper at a time of check-in, so don't worry in this case. The police are usually looking for migrants from Central Asia and unless you fit this profile, you are unlikely to be questioned.

In winter months, streets in Moscow can get very slippery. Take a pair of grippy shoes or, even better, boots (to prevent twisted ankles) and a waterproof raincoat. Take care as ice patches are often hard to spot, even when they appear to have been cleared or melted. Wearing non-grippy shoes could result in injury.

Downtown Moscow is very brightly lit, and a lot of the wide roads have underground pedestrian walkways. Those are well lit too - so you shouldn't worry about going down inside them. But of course, like anywhere else, do use common sense, and keep an eye out for pickpockets. Use the pedestrian crossings to cross the street, as traffic can get pretty crazy often times. Furthermore, racism and homophobia is prevalent in Moscow and other major cities.

Beeline WiFi operates the largest network of both paid and free WiFi access points. If there is a charge, you can pay online via credit card.

Power WiFi Provides a rental service. For 2$ per day one gets powerbank for travellers (7 800 mAh) with integrated WiFi router (3/4G connection for up to 5 devices) and a concierge app, ☎ +7 705 333 30 00 ([email protected]).

There is a large network of free WiFi hotspots in the city centre; check your device in the middle of a busy area and you may find one.

Many cafes and restaurants offer WiFi, although it is often at an additional charge. Most bookstores offer free WiFi, including Dom Knigi on New Arbat Street or "Respublika" bookstore on Tverskaya near Mayakovskaya Metro Station.

Many establishments that offer free WiFi, such as the Metro system, McDonalds, and Domodedovo airport, require you to verify an authorization code sent to a Russian phone number before gaining access.

Since Moscow is the biggest transportation centre in Russia and one of main the points of entry for the foreign tourists, it is a convenient starting point for exploring much of European Russia. Even travelling through Moscow to Ukraine and some Caucasian and Central Asian countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan etc.) could be cheaper than direct flights from Europe/North America. Travel deals to Moscow are not rare and ticket prices are often pretty low within the former USSR.

Saint Petersburg - 13 different overnight trains leave Moscow for the 7 hr (or thereabouts) journey, arriving the next morning. You can either take the sleeper trains, which is a very interesting experience. Russians have a "train" culture, so it's very possible that you will meet your bunk mates and have a meal and drink with them. You can also take the high-speed Sapsan trains - they take about 4 hours, and the vistas rushing by are very lovely. You might even consider paying the extra money for a first class sleeper cabin which has two comfortable beds. Included in the price is a small snack for supper and breakfast. There is also an attendant for each carriage who is willing to make tea in classic metal and glass tea glasses. Very civilized way to travel.

Arkhangelskoye - One of the finest of Moscow Oblast's usadbas (estates) is only a short elektrichka ride away from Moscow and makes a fine day excursion.

Golden Ring - Old cities and towns rich in historical buildings, situated in the heartland of Muscovy Russia. There are many tourist companies organizing guided tours, but travellers with rudimentary knowledge of Cyrillic alphabet can do it independently. Many guidebooks are available in English.

Kubinka Tank Museum[137] - One of finest armour collections in the world. About one hour west of the city, accessible by local train (eletrichka) or REKS express train [138](blue trains with Dachshund on the train cars), and take cab (200 rubel for one way) or marshrutka N59 to the "Tankoviy Muzey" bus stop (only RUB30but after the arriving to the bus stop you should to walk 600 meters on foot along the road until you reach museum checkpoint) from the train station. Earlier access was restricted, previously visitors had apply for a permit. Only a photocopy of the visa and the passport is required for the entrance (at least for EU citizens). The fee is RUB1500 + RUB300 for photo for foreigners. Entrance for kids under 6 years old is free. Definitely worth the bother for any self-respecting tank buff.

Leninskiye Gorki - An old country estate, expropriated by the Communist authorities after 1917 and used by V. Lenin as his country residence when he became ill. Large museum, although pretty decrepit now.

Borodino battlefield - This is the site of the famous Battle of Borodino. Museum and national historic site [139]. Commuter trains from Belorussky Station; 2-3 daily, travel time about 2 hours.

Klin - A small town in Moscow Region hosting the House-Museum of Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Peredelkino - a dacha complex just southwest of Moscow with museum-houses of many prominent Russian poets and writers (e.g. Pasternak, Yevtushenko, Okudzhava, Chukovsky)

New Jerusalem Resurrection Monastery - A monastery-fortress (male, working) with a number of museums inside and next to the walls: Wooden architecture museum, local history museum, Art and History museum etc. The monastery was founded in 1656 by Tzar Alexis II and Patriarch Nikon (his "cell", a three-storey house stands in the park outside the monastery walls) to resemble the original Jerusalem. The place is roughly between Novoierusalimskaya (15 min on foot) and Istra (15 min by bus) elektrichka stations, around 60 km from Moscow.

Savvino-Storozhevskiy monastery - A beautiful monastery with interesting history, closely connected to Russian Tzars. Commuter trains from Belorussky station to Zvenigorod, several daily; travel time about an hour, but the terminus of the elektrichka is 2 miles from the town, which boasts a number of historically significant churches itself, and about 3 miles from the monastery, which is on a nearby hill.

Dmitrov - A town about 65 km North from Moscow (trains from Savelovsky station, several daily, travel time 1 1/2 hours), on Moscow Channel, with old churches, interesting sculptures in the streets and a number of museums. Hot air balloon flights over Dmitrov area are possible.

Snegiri - Settlement about 40 km from Moscow (Volokolamskoe hwy) that boasts a monument to the Defense of Moscow during WW2, with a good collection of tanks, and a museum. Trains from Rizhsky Station, several daily, travel time about an hour.

Smolensk - A very worthwhile day trip to one of the oldest Russian cities with an ancient fortress. Buses and trains leave from Belorussky Railway Terminal several times a day, cost from 800 RUB and take about 5.5 hours.

Balakovo - about a 1000 km south-east from Moscow, a jewel on Volga river with nice natural sceneries, wonderful and cheap food, warm and hospital people. 21hrs train will take you directly from Moscow to Balakovo. Many Moscow inhabitants prefer to spend summer camping on the island Pustynniy Ostrov near Balakovo to enjoy warm beaches, fresh fish and vegetables, as well as to get rest in a quiet place after noisy Moscow life.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!